1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a PCMCIA card connector, and particularly to a step-like alignment socket for a PCMCIA connector for reducing the length of the connector thereby reducing occupied area of the connector on a printed circuit board.
2. Description of Prior Art
As the popularity of notebook computers increases, IC (integrated circuit) cards are becoming more common for increasing storage capacity and processing speed of stored data. Presently, many notebook computers require the cards to be inserted in a peripheral device such as a hard disk drive (HDD). Thus, card connectors are commonly used to connect the computer with the peripheral device. Most current IC cards and card connectors conform to the standards of PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card Industry Association).
A PCMCIA card connector typically comprises a header adapted for accommodating a PCMCIA card with a plurality of passageways defined therein and arranged in rows for receiving a corresponding number of terminals. Each terminal comprises a contact portion for mating with a corresponding contact of an inserted card, and a tail portion downwardly extending from the header for connecting with a printed circuit board (PCB). To retain the terminals in position, an alignment socket is used. Pertinent conventional alignment sockets of PCMCIA card connectors are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,601,438, 5,286,207 and 5,688,130.
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional alignment socket 12 for use with a PCMCIA card connector 1 is shown. The alignment socket 12 has a significant height and defines a plurality of passages 13 therethrough with a corresponding number of female terminals 130 retained therein. The connector 1 comprises an elongate header 10 with a plurality of terminals 100 arranged in upper and lower rows received therein, and a grounding plate 101 covering the header 10 and the alignment socket 12. Each terminal 100 rearwardly extends into the corresponding passageway 13 of the alignment socket 12 for engaging with a contact portion 131 of the corresponding female terminal 130. A solder portion 132 of each female terminal 130 is adapted for being surface mounted to a PCB (not shown) thereby interconnecting the connector 1 therewith.
Since the alignment socket 12 has a significant height, the terminals 100 must be upwardly bent a distance H to cooperate with the alignment socket 12 thereby preventing the formation of a short circuit between upper and lower terminals 100 during insertion into the corresponding passages 13 of the alignment socket 12. Similarly, the grounding plate 101 must be upwardly bent a distance substantially equal to the distance H to accommodate the upwardly bent terminals 100. A significant distance D.sub.1 is defined between the header 10 and the alignment socket 12 thereby significantly increasing the length of the connector 1 and occupied area of the connector 1 on the PCB, which is out of line with the current miniaturization trend of the computer industry.
Therefore, an alignment socket which reduces the length of a card connector thereby significantly reducing the occupied area of the connector on a PCB is of value.